South Raleigh News

The North Carolina Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of the constitutionality of the SAFE Child Act's lookback window. This decision came as a result of the case McKinney v. Goins, where Solicitor General Ryan Park and the Department of Justice defended the legislative provision allowing adults who were abused as children to file civil lawsuits against their abusers within a two-year period.

Attorney General Jeff Jackson commented on the ruling, stating: "By upholding the SAFE Child Act’s lookback window today, the North Carolina Supreme Court acknowledged what we know to be true: it can take years for people to process the trauma of childhood abuse and victims should have the opportunity to hold their abusers accountable in court. Today’s ruling is also a continued charge to the rest of us to do everything we can to keep our children safe. I’m grateful to Solicitor General Park and the DOJ lawyers who worked tirelessly on this case for years."

Governor Josh Stein also expressed his satisfaction with the court's decision: "There is nothing more important than keeping kids safe. I am pleased that the courts upheld this crucial part of the SAFE Child Act so that abusers who commit these heinous acts can be held accountable for their actions. People who were abused as children will have the opportunity to face their abusers and seek justice. I am proud of the work my team did to write this law when I was Attorney General. As Governor, I will continue to stand up for survivors of abuse."

The court's opinion is available for public access.